Every now and again on ShoreBread one of our “single ladies” will give you a firsthand account of their trials and tribulations navigating the shore’s single scene. We’re in favor of the romantic notion of letter writing–you remember, in the olden days before emails and Facebook, when people handwrote letters and waited weeks for a response. With that in mind, each writer will be signing off under the same penname—Single at the Shore. They are writing to you, dear readers. Feel free to comment, or share your dating stories too.
Ever watch the movie Serendipity? John Cusack ,2001, New York City – ring a bell?
It’s a classic story; guy meets girl, instant attraction, they test fate and lose each other. Months go by and their lives have changed. Then, a fortunate accident happens where they meet again. It’s that moment that made my heart melt and the thought, ‘If only that would happen to me’, rushed through my head. Serendipity is a traditional Hollywood love story.
Dating used to be a sore subject for me. It got to the point where I would wish for a certain guy and it would come true. Too true. I would say things like, ‘I just want a guy that wears a suit to work,’ and BAM that’s what I would get. I then said, ‘I just want a guy who is financially stable,’ and then he would appear in my life. But that’s all they were. A guy who wore a suit every day to work which was a great disguise for who he actually was and a Financial Advisor who was cheaper than the coupon lady at the grocery store.
It got to the point where I just moved on from dating and started enjoying the single life. I didn’t need a guy, I didn’t want a guy. I was perfectly fine just being. I started believing that it would happen when it was meant to happen. Truth be told, I still kept my walls up in fear of wishing for something. I didn’t want, yet another, disappointment.
Then, in August, it happened.
I went to an event here in Ocean City, Maryland with a friend of mine. Our only intentions were to not have too many orange crushes and make it home together. It was a strange evening in general; I ran into so many different people from my past, just one person after the other.
There were good-looking guys everywhere, but then there was this one. I didn’t really think anything of it. He was just a really handsome guy, seemed to be there with just a friend. Next thing you know this extremely handsome fellow puts his arm around my waist and asks my name. In shock, I tell him and he says ‘Nathan’.
My heart stopped beating, I couldn’t think straight, and my head filled with utter disbelief. It was my first boyfriend. My boyfriend from 21 years ago was standing directly beside me.
He wasn’t just any regular guy. This one was special for many reasons. I had not seen him in over two decades. Never saw him at another high school party, never ran into him while visiting friends back home, never heard from him since we broke up.
Rumor has it that I broke his heart. Truth is, relationships work both ways and women are always right.
As Nathan and I were talking, the joy of the serendipity all came to a halt as his girlfriend walked up. She had a look that could kill. I said goodbye and walked away.
I never thought I’d see him again. He lives in Baltimore, I, in Ocean City. I did, however, think that it was a shame that he was with someone else right then and there… especially because he looked so great. I thought that was the end of it and didn’t think anything more.
Three and a half weeks later, old friends were coming down for a bachelorette party. I was in no mood to tie one on so I went out for a few drinks. When we heard from our friends, we headed down to the bar. My goal was to make it an early evening. I had planned to take it easy; no such luck.
After only being at the bar for a few minutes, socializing, sipping on a drink, I felt pretty good. Then, I turned around and my jaw fell open. Nathan was standing behind me with a big grin on his face. Jaw to floor, eyes wide open, totally in awe, I just smiled. What are the chances of seeing him twice in one month after all of these years?
Best news… he was single.
Needless to say, of course I didn’t go home alone that night. We ended up spending the rest of the weekend together catching up on each other’s lives. Nathan had spent years wondering what had happened to me and how I was doing, just as I had thought the same about him.
What a wonderful feeling to know that you are a memory – a good one – to someone else? I felt a warmth in my heart that I hadn’t felt in forever. I had never forgotten him; how could I?
I like to think of this as my own version of the movie Serendipity. There was no lost glove or phone number in a book – like in the movie – but there was a great guy, one who I lost touch with and never forgot. There was a broken heart, one that was healed. And there was a moment in my life where I can say my heart melted in my own romantic experience. Now with my walls down, I can continue to just be.
